E-Paper
Ludhiana: Civic body under fire for pending projects
According to official records, over 50 development projects remain incomplete despite tender allotments and passed deadlines
Even as the Ludhiana municipal corporation recently approved more than 500 new development projects in the Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) meeting, questions are being raised over its failure to complete several long-pending works, many of which were sanctioned as far back as 2023. The delay in execution has not only raised concerns over the efficiency of the civic body, but also brought political interference and lax accountability under the scanner.
According to official records, over 50 development projects remain incomplete despite tender allotments and passed deadlines. These include vital infrastructure works such as laying interlocking tiles in Nehru Vihar, construction of streets in Janta Colony and Guru Vihar, blacktopping of Mata Karam Kaur Road, laying RMC in Mangal Deep Colony, and pending lanes in Beas Complex in Ward 5. Other projects like park repairs in LIG, construction of a veterinary hospital in Dairy Complex Tajpur Road, and fixing of sign boards in Zone B also continue to hang fire.
Notably, several of these projects were approved in 2023 and early 2024, with deadlines ranging between three to six months. However, despite passage of over a year in some cases, no strict action has been taken against defaulting contractors, nor have officials been held accountable for the delays.
A senior official from the MC, requesting anonymity, said, “Many of these works are stuck due to site-level issues or pending clearances. Some contractors have delayed work without any valid reasons, but political pressure often limits our ability to act against them.”
The residents of affected areas are frustrated. Gurmeet Singh, a resident of Mohalla Mangal Deep, said, “We were told that new concrete roads would be laid within months. But even after one year, the condition is worse than before. Every time we approach the councillor, we are told the file is stuck.”
In Nehru Vihar, where interlocking tile work remains incomplete, Rajni Sharma, a local homemaker, shared, “We’re facing trouble walking during rains. There’s muck and water everywhere. If new projects are being cleared, why can’t they finish the older ones first?”
Opposition leaders have also slammed the civic body. Local Congress leader Sham Sundar Malhotra alleged that development work is being pushed selectively under political pressure. The party has demanded a public status report on all pending projects and strict penalties for defaulters.
Despite repeated attempts municipal commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal was not available for comments.
